Gaidropsarus
Gaidropsarus is a genus of marine fish in the family Lotidae. These fishes are commonly known as beard rocklings or rocklings. The genus comprises nine species, all of which inhabit the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea. Gaidropsarus species are demersal, meaning they live on or near the bottom of the ocean floor. They are typically found in rocky or gravelly habitats at depths ranging from 20 to 1,000 meters (66 to 3,281 feet).
Characteristics
Beard rocklings are characterized by their elongated, eel-like bodies and relatively small, pointed heads. They have a single dorsal fin that extends almost the entire length of their back, and a long, continuous anal fin. The most distinctive feature of these fish is their long, barbel-like chin barbels, which are used to sense prey.
These fish can reach a maximum length of around 50 centimeters (20 inches), but most species are typically smaller. Their coloration is generally brown or grey, often with darker blotches or spots. They are carnivorous, feeding mainly on crustaceans, worms, and small fish.
Habitat and Distribution
Gaidropsarus species are found throughout the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, from Norway and Iceland to the Canary Islands and the Mediterranean Sea. They are also present in the Black Sea. They prefer rocky or gravelly bottoms and are often found in caves or crevices.
Species
The genus Gaidropsarus comprises nine recognized species:
- Gaidropsarus argentatus (Reinhardt, 1838) - Silver rockling
- Gaidropsarus biscayensis (Kotthaus, 1969)
- Gaidropsarus granti (Günther, 1862) - Grant's rockling
- Gaidropsarus guttatus (Valenciennes, 1834) - Spotted rockling
- Gaidropsarus macrophthalmus (Collett, 1879)
- Gaidropsarus mediterraneus (Kolombatovic, 1891) - Mediterranean rockling
- Gaidropsarus multibarbis (Lütken, 1880) - Many-barbeled rockling
- Gaidropsarus novemradiatus (Risso, 1827) - Nine-rayed rockling
- Gaidropsarus vulgaris (Fleming, 1828) - Common rockling
References
For more information on Gaidropsarus, please consult the following reliable resources: